Santa Cruz County Parks

Community Events

More than providing residents with venues for fun, play and celebration, community events create opportunities for participants to become connected to their community! There are major events held throughout the year along with free swim days, outdoor movie nights and more!

Kick Off Santa Cruz Free Events

Join Santa Cruz County Parks and Scotts Valley Recreation for Kick Off Santa Cruz! Take part in the action on Saturday, June 13th at Anna Jean Cummings County Park in Soquel from 1 PM to 4 PM and Sunday, June 14th at Sky Park in Scotts Valley from 11 AM to 3 PM.

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Skills & Drills on Saturday 6/13

Join us Anna Jean Cummings County Park in Soquel from 1 PM to 4 PM to sharpen and gain new soccer skills at an afternoon full of community fun!

 

Interactive soccer activities will be led by Central Coast FC and include agility races, soccer tic-tac-toe, scrimmages, and much more. This is a free, all-ages event with no registration needed- just show up and enjoy!

Wacky Soccer Tournament on Sunday 6/14

Register here for the Wacky Soccer Tournament at Skypark! Take part in a soccer-inspired day full of games, booths, activities, and family fun at Skypark in Scotts Valley from 11 AM to 3 PM. All registered tournament participants will also be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to one of the 2026 World Cup Games!

 

Get ready for a low-key, high-energy Wacky Soccer Tournament! Gather your friends, family, neighbors, adults, seniors, and youth to build a multi-generational team for a fun round-robin tournament designed for laughter, teamwork, and friendly competition. Expect wacky soccer games with silly twists, teamwork, friendly competition, a skills contest, prizes, activities, food trucks, booths, and more! This event is free with all ages welcome. Pre-registration is required for the Wacky Soccer Tournnament, so assemble your players and sign up now!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

County Parks Community Events Calendar

County Parks Community Events

Open House Events

Santa Cruz County Parks has four venues perfect for weddings, family gatherings, parties, and fundraisers! Tour the venues and explore all your event possibilities at our Open House Events!

Dates listed on calendar or email reservations@scparks.com for more information. 

Artist of the Year Award Profile Performance

Over the last 42 years, the County of Santa Cruz Arts Commission has selected outstanding artists nominated by the public and honored them through the Artist of the Year Award. The award recognizes artists for outstanding achievement in the disciplines of performing, visual, or literary arts. Micha Scott, dancer and choreographer, has been named 2026 Santa Cruz County Artist of the Year by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission.  A Profile Performance was held on June 5, 7-9PM, at the Museum of Art & History.   

For more information about the award and nomination process, please the Artist of the Year webpage by clicking here.  

July is Parks & Recreation Month

Join us at Santa Cruz County parks, beaches, trails and programs to celebrate Parks Make Life Better Month. Challenge yourself to visit the more than 60 parks, beaches and coastal access points County Parks has to offer! But first, mark your calendars for the activities listed on this page - all FREE, and designed just for YOU!

Free Swim Days at Simpkins Family Swim Center

Splash around with friends and family at the Simpkins Family Swim Center! Free swim days occur annually and are sure to cool you off and connect you to our community.

Movie Nights at the Parks

Join us for family-friendly movie nights under the stars this summer and fall. Family Movie Nights is a series of free outdoor movie events. Movies begin at dusk. Low back chairs, blankets and jackets recommended. Come early and bring a picnic to enjoy!

Volunteer Events

Community volunteer days are a fun way to be with others and beautify our parks and beaches! Volunteer days include fun activities such as painting, weeding, fence building, beautification, invasive plant removal and more!

Check our Community Events Calendar for Upcoming Volunteer Days!

 

Parks & Rex Dog Pool Party

Everyone will have a blast at this end-of-summer summer celebration with great food, music, and fun in the pool for adults, children, and your dog, too! Join Santa Cruz County Parks Department and the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter for the Annual Parks & Rex Pool Party FUNdraiser at the Simpkins Family Swim Center. All proceeds will benefit County Parks youth programs and Animal Shelter programs.

  • Stay tuned for the August 2026 event!

Floating Pumpkin Patch at Simpkins Family Swim Center

Hop in the pool with your kiddos and begin your hunt for the perfect Halloween pumpkin!

Community Meetings

County Parks is committed to providing safe, well-designed and maintained parks to our diverse community.  Visit the Current Projects page to learn more about our projects and meetings.

 

Register for Community Events

Some events require prior registrations so we can plan accordingly. Thank you for registering!

How to Register Online
  • Create an account on ActiveNet.
  • Navigate to Community Events.
  • Select your desired program.
  • Register and complete payment.
  • Thank you for choosing to participate in County Parks programs!
Accessibility

County Parks strives to make our programs accessible to all individuals and will make reasonable accommodations to ensure accessibility to individuals needing such assistance. If you have accessibility requests or concerns and would like more information and support, please give us a call at (831) 454-7941.

Contact Us

Phone:

(831) 454-7901 (General)

(831) 454-7941 (Registrations)

Monday – Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, except holidays

Our physical office is open, but staff availability is limited.